So, you’re hundreds of miles at sea and you receive the dreaded news that a family member or dear friend has passed away or has taken seriously ill. It should be easy you think to arrange transfer from the ship to the shore, and from there catch the next flight home.

Not so fast
Passengers are taken off a ship that’s at sea only in medical emergencies, and that means unless you, the passenger are in critical condition. In most other cases, it really is a matter of determining where the next port of call is and from there, the crucial flight home

Travel insurance with trip interruption coverage can be invaluable here, but in all cases, work with the cruise ships guest services representative who will arrange flights from the next port.

And remember, if something affects your cruise experience negatively like a broken toilet or other cabin related problems your first call should be to the cabin steward, and then the purser.